Good-bye deposit

So we have been renting a house for about a year and half and we are moving out this weekend and into our first purchased home.  We are excited and as you can imagine a bit overwhelmed with all the stuff that goes along with moving.  As you can imagine there is so much that needs to be done and not quite enough hours in the day so when Symeon asked me to come downstairs and see what Babes had done I was a bit worried because he finished his statement with she wrote on the walls.  Oh gosh not again she wrote on the walls one other time with a dry erase marker that came right off well weren't quite that lucky this time. 

I must confess as I went down the stairs I was breathing deep which did nothing for my temper when I rounded the corner.  She was sitting in Symeon's room reading a book with the door shut and when I yelled Marin where are you she just continued reading which probably just made my blood boil a bit harder.  Here is what I saw and remember this is permanent black marker, this is a rental property, and we are moving this weekend. 

 We are on our second box of magic erasers and a few hours of scrubbing and we still have a bit of work to do.  

 Yes this is exposed brick that is ruined there is nothing but acid to take this off and although I feel like my look should have burned it off I was not so lucky.  

 I can't get this off the dryer.  

 Yes this is permanent black marker on the crib my Dad made for my children.  

 

 Yup she tagged all three pillars!

Correct this is the side of Shawn's dresser.  I am happy to report that the magic erasers took it off the furniture.  At first I had to send her to her room so I could breathe a bit then I made her come out get a rag and get cleaning.   At one point she looked up at me and said Mama I not think this is coming off and I said well you have from now until you go to bed to try so keep scrubbing.  She did say sorry Mama and after a bit I was able to forgive her.  After it was over and after talking with her I am pretty sure she was marking things for the move like I had been all week, writing on things we wanted to take with us to our new house but seriously this was the last thing I needed during a wild and a tad bit stressful week.  Oh Babes McGee you keep life well should we say interesting!

Mommy son lunch - no more toddler all little boy

On Sunday Shawn and Marin were a bit under the weather so they stayed home from church..So after Church Symeon and I went out to one of our favorite restaurants.  I enjoyed our time together just talking about all kinds of thing that interested him.  I pray we will always be able to talk about what matters to him in life whatever his age.  I was struck by this amazing little guy who watched the world around him with curious and insightful eyes.  We always have the same waiter at this restaurant so he knows us pretty well.  After he took our order on Sunday and walked away Symeon said why is he wearing a red shirt today he always wears a blue shirt.  I had realized there was something different about him but I couldn't put my finger on what it was but Symeon noticed right away.  He takes in his world noticing everything and remembering it as well.  I love watching his mind working behind those beautiful brown eyes.  As we approach his 4th birthday I am reminded of the gift he is to me, to our family, and to the world.  I am so thankful for any quiet moments we can spend together, I was so blessed by being with him on Sunday.    

Phinneaus and Ferb

We had a great time at the show.  The kids loved it and it was well done.  Overall a fun snowy Saturday afternoon.  When I look at this last picture I keep thinking who are these big kids?  How did they get this big without me noticing?  I do feel like I enjoy my time with my kids and no matter how many times I try to burn their image in mind at a certain moment I am well aware what time continues to march on and they are always changing and growing.  I love what ever age they are and I don't long for them to be babies or for them to go to school I just want to be happy with where they are in life.  I love these two amazing little people. 

Our trip to the dentist

Both our kids love going to the dentist.  They love the chairs, the x-rays, the floss everything about it is fun.  This is not their first time Symeon went really young after a small accident and a chipped tooth and Marin has been several times.  This time I was surprised to have the dentist tell me that Symeon had a very loose front tooth.  He asked if anything had happened and I said no.  We have to go back and have it checked in a month to see what is up.  When I told Shawn he informed me during their trip to Atlanta that Symeon smacked his front tooth into Shawn's leg oops sorry doc I guess there was some sort of trauma.  Shawn said he cried for a minute then was on his way not exactly the reaction you would guess from knocking your tooth loose but about right for Symeon. 

So sweet

These are the two names Marin wanted me to paint in her journal.  She adores her cousin Austin and it was so cute once their names were next to each other she said look Mom both our names end with"in".  That made her day. 

The things they say

Lately the kids have been cracking us up with some of their comments. 

1.  Last night when I went to bed Marin's light was on and she was sleeping with her head hanging off the bed so I moved her back to her pillow and turned the light off.  She woke up and told me she needed a drink and then she laid back down.  As I was about to leave she said
Marin:  "Mama I read Peter Pan"
Me: Yes Babes Daddy read you Peter Pan when he put you to bed
Marin:  Yes Mama I got Peter Pan and brother didn't note smile on her face
Me:  Okay Babes goodnight
Marin:  Good night Mama

Context for this is that early when it was bedtime there had been a small interaction about the Peter Pan book and Marin ended up having it to read while Symeon decided on another book.  From this interaction later that night she was obviously still celebrating what she saw as a victory. 

2.  Marin asks Symeon lots of questions and often wants him to help her rather than Shawn or I so the other day she had a question.  She asked Symeon how to do something and his response was so cute he said
"Marin here's a tip for you"  Shawn and I cracked up because then he explained to her how to do it and she said okay bruer (brother) and followed his tip. 

3.  We were in the car the other night and a stomach bug has been going around so when I got out and opened the back door of the car to get them out the smell was pretty strong and I asked hey guys did either of you have an accident in  your pants?  As I was asking the question I was undoing Marin's seat belt and I pulled her up a bit from her seat.  Well Symeon could see her back side and he said, "Babes I think it might be you because you butt looks bigger"  Shawn and I busted out laughing and luckily it was not Marin so I told him nope it wasn't her and then he said "oh yah Mom it's me I have gas".  I am sure I will have to help him understand that no woman ever wants to be told her butt looks bigger but for now Babes didn't care and all was well. 

4.  Marin is in a mine stage.  This is my Mommy not yours brother.  This is my food not yours  brother.  Etc etc etc.  Well she likes to look at pictures on  my computer so the other day she was looking at pictures from the summer when her cousins visited from Georgia and her cousin Maya was using her treasured blue water bottle.  I remember there being a small incident at the time and Marin was basically forced to share.  Well when she saw that picture she called  me over and said,
Marin -" I no want Maya to use my Blue cup."  
Me:  "Well Marin Maya was borrowing that she was our guest and it was nice of you to share with her."
Marin - "I no wanted to share with her."
Me:  "Babes that was a long time ago it is over you have to let it go thank you for sharing with her"
Time passes later in the day we find a crazy straw that is Symeon's but we can't find Marin's, she was upset to say the least but what she said surprised me. 
Me:  "Babes I don't know where your silly straw is I can only find Brother's when he is done  you can use his"
Marin:  She looked at me so seriously and said "I bet Maya took it" 
 Me:  "Babes Maya did not take your straw and that is not nice to say"
What in the world I think the girl can hold a grudge!

5.  Okay so as I am writing this post the king of hating quiet time and finding reasons to come ask me questions just came upstairs and when I asked what he needed he said "I have to poop."  Me:  "Okay well you know how to go poop so you can go" (this is one reason he is allowed out of quiet time.) Symeon:  "okay Mom but I want to go up here since Babes is sleeping and my poop comes out really loud"    Well of course really loud poop means you have to come upstairs out of quiet time such a considerate brother what was a Mama to say :) 

36+ hours of snow and it is still coming down

Holding Hands

I have always been a junkie for holding hands but since having children it has become one of my all time favorite things to do.  I feel like so much is communicated while holding hands with my husband, my parents, my grandparents, friends, and now my children.  I remember holding my grandmother's hands the last time I saw her before she died.  I remember her hands being worn and the skin soft like tissue paper.  I remember seeing the veins and relishing all the times she had held my hand throughout my life.  I could see the veins pumping the blood through her body not knowing she only had a little time left before that would end.  All my life I had seen her hands making Sunday dinner, reading the paper, drinking coffee, holding me, bringing me small gifts, walking with me as we exercised together after her heart attack.  Her hands were ones of beauty, hard working and loving, tough and tender, old and wise, they were everything I pray my hands will be in the life I have to live.  They were everything I hope my children and grandchildren will see in my hands as I age. 

On January 24th I remembered my Grandmother's birthday and I celebrated her life and the life that lives on in me and my family.  She would have been 87 and I remember it because we were 50 years apart almost to the day.  I thought about those hands all day and I relished in the memories of her life and mine so intertwined her memory palpable to me on that day and on many others. 

On my 37th birthday the next day I held hands with Marin while she drifted off to sleep and last night I held hands with Symeon and we both fell asleep together laying in his bed.  When I woke up a bit later I realized we were both still holding hands.  I often ask them to hold hands walking down the sidewalk, laying in bed, watching tv, and sometimes when they are upset in the car or anywhere they will ask me to hold my hand and I am always willing, like a puppy being praised, I offer my hand with a joyful heart. 

I love the feel of their sweet chubby hands wrapped in mine.  I love the warmth that flows between us unspoken and I try to burn into my mind how small their hands are and how they fit into my Mama hand and I realize that my Grandmother use to have that same feeling this tiny little hand held tight and warm in her hand.  The last time I saw her when we talked about what she wanted shared at her funeral I realized that her hand seemed small in mine, fragile and the tides of life had changed.  My hand was then the strong loving reassuring hand that was promising to take care of things when she could not. I listened to her hopes, needs, wants, and desires just like she always listened to mine. 

When I shared at her funeral  6 months pregnant with my first baby trying to put into words a lifetime of love I was struck by her hands resting peacefully.  I was heartbroken that those hands would not hold my children or feel that new born hand wrap his tiny fist around her finger but yet every time I hold my children's hands I realize she is ever present, ever loving, and passing along her love from her hands to mine to theirs.  I will hold hands with the people I love as often and as long as possible and I will treasure every moment of unspoken love that passes between us.  Thank you Grandma for a legacy of hand holding I pray it will be a part of my legacy as well.